President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has ordered the Nigerian army to pay the slain soldiers’ benefits to their respective families within ninety days.
“The Military must, within the next ninety days, ensure that all the benefits of the departed are paid to their families.”
Tinubu disclosed this on Wednesday during the burial ceremony of the slain soldiers.
Describing them as men of honour Tinubu said: “The officers and soldiers who lost their lives that day were patriots, brave and noble men who gave their lives to defend and protect our nation against internal and external threats. Their sacrifice will be remembered and honoured for generations to come and their.
“On 14 March, Lt. Colonel A. H. Ali, the Commanding Officer of 181 Amphibious Battalion, led three other officers and 13 soldiers to the Okuama Community to mediate in the lingering dispute with Okoloba Community.
“They went as peace makers and peace keepers respectfully seeking to bring an end to the hostilities between the two communities. They didn’t go with tanks, machine guns and other weapons. They were on a mission of peace.”
While promising to sponsor the deceased soldiers’ children to school, vowed to punish culprits.
He said: “I want to make it clear, once more, that those who committed this heinous crime will not go unpunished. We will find them and our departed heroes will get justice. The elders and chiefs of Okuoma also have a duty to help the military in fishing out the gunmen who committed the barbaric crime against our men”.